Media Representations of the Music Industry

In the first few shots of this programme, we can establish that it covers the codes and conventions used in documentary style T.V. shows. The producers of the text have reinforced the programme's content and message throughout by using the layout and delivery of the information. During the intro to the programme, we hear upbeat music being played in the background, similar to that found on a news show. Shortly after this we see a clip of a newsbroadcaster talking on the problem at hand, drugs. If up until this point, a viewer did not understand what this text was about, various words and phrases related to drug use move around the screen. We as an audience are made light that this is based on a very serious subject and in addition to the 'Horizons' logo displayed at the top, we have high expectations for the documentary as a whole as 'Horizons' are well-known for their stellar documentaries and controversial content. This contoversy becomes more apparent in the following sequence of clips. We are given information on this particular topic, through the use of first hand accounts e.g people. By using regular people just like ourselves this links with the Bulmer and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory as we feel connected with the people and what they have to say, which is the way the director would have wanted to get his point across. The connection is made through our acceptance and understanding of these first hand accounts as we can relate to the realism of their opinions. This method is used as a means to bring across the collective view on the topic of drugs and their effects on us as a whole. The people selected to be in this text have been chosen through a selective manner, but in a way that includes people of different ages, gender and ethnicities as a way to appeal and broaden their appeal to an audience. The connotations of the colours in the documentary say a lot about the text. The us of dull colours including grey and black withing the images of various drugs and how they are taken, such as sniffing, injections etc. Black has connotations of death and mystery which creates an enigma around drugs as missue and prolonged use of drugs will ultimately lead to death, these enigmas are essential and relevant to the documentary. The layout of these images is also important as well. The images in this text were a range of close up to extreme close up shots and often repeated across the screen. The sheer size of the images could be a metaphor for the sheer size of this issue. This was a carefully thought out idea to entice and interest the audience. Also the repetitiveness agrees with the innocullation theory that the viewer has become immune to such things as sex, violence and drug abuse. The narrative of the text is focused on getting across the message that to do drugs is not good for you, and this is done in a way which would help the audience understand and accept this information. Realism was the easiest way to portray this cause we as an audience assoctiate with this better than most other forms. Documentary's are known for being factual and to the point but this one has included the opinions of the public. A mechanism used in this text that I found to have worked well was the inclusion of experts such as Proffessor David Nutt. Although this is a convention of documentaries it has become a convention because it is so effective. Someone who has a vast knowledge on drug and alcohol abuse, makes people watching more inclined to listen to them because they understand fully what they are talking about. An expert can answer the questions someone with no prior knowledge of the subject has, such as what do drugs do? Are they addictive and what makes them that way? What are some of the consquences that could happen as a result of taking drugs?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The first audience that it would appeal to would be teenagers at a youger age they are more likely to experiment with new things and as some are potential drug users it would hopefully open their eyes to what they are doing and give them the advice they need to stop. Another audience would be people in the medical field as they can educate others on the topic who would be expected to know a lot anyway on such topics.
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Although teenagers and potential drug users wouldn't normally watch documentary shows they would be more invested in a show like this as they would be curious as to what these drugs can do and to familiarise themselves with the various different types. It gives them the chance to re-evaluate what they are doing and possibly change their ways now that they know all the information on the dangers and effects of drug misuse. The inclusion of the expert shows them the seriousness and the real harsh side to drug taking. This information along with their own opinions on drug and alcohol use, is enough hopefully to get them to stop.
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The belief that "thin is beautiful" is pervasive in our culture. It has been documented in children as young as three, but it is adolescents who appear to be most at risk for developing unhealthy attitudes towards their bodies based on this perception. At a time where young people are focused on developing their individual identities, they are also highly susceptible to both social pressure and media images which can have a profound effect on how they see their bodies. Having poor body image can have numerous negative effects: one of the most common is lowered self-esteem, which carries with it its own associated risks. In a national U.S. study in 2008, 25 per cent of girls with low self-esteem injured themselves on purpose; and 25 per cent reported disordered eating. Poor body image is also connected to bullying, with youth who have poor body image more likely to be perpetrators or targets of bullying behaviour.

Images of female bodies are everywhere, with women and girls - and their body parts selling everything from food to cars. Popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. Despite the popularity of the internet, movies and T.V. still dominate young people's media use. Given this widespread appeal, the media has an indirect effect by influencing how groups or cultures view body image.

An example of this is the TV series America's Next Top Model, has made a total of 20 seasons and still frequently run in syndication. Researchers found that watching a ten-minute segment of the show had a negative effect on how satisfied young women were with their appearance. Since the segment shown did not have any content directly related to weight or body image, it seems likely that viewing similar shows would have a similar effect.Other genres popular with young people – primetime dramas and reality television – have been shown to have similar effects. By associating thinness with other desirable attributes such as wealth and desirability, dramas such as such as Gossip Girl and Grey's Anatomy reinforce the idea that it's better to be underweight – a perception that’s found in both girls and boys. Similarly, girls who regularly watch reality television are significantly more likely to believe that a girl's looks are the most important thing about her, as well as being more likely to say they would rather people recognize them for their outer beauty than what's inside.

Music is a significant medium in young people's life, particularly during the teenage years. While other media may occupy a greater number of hours, it is most often from music that that teenagers define their identities and draw cues as how to dress and behave.For girls, the message is overwhelmingly that they should be thin, attractive and sexual. What’s more, this message doesn’t vary between different genres of music, as nearly all performers must meet this standard to be commercially successful (or else have their images manipulated to meet that standard). Even those few performers whose sexuality is not a large part of their appeal encounter a strong pressure to conform to popular standards of beauty once they become successful, receiving considerable positive media coverage of their weight loss such as "Adele's Thin New Look Revealed" and "Jennifer Hudson Weight Loss: Her Son Only Knows Her As Size 0". When female musicians gain weight, it is often covered in a negative light: for example, discussion of Christina Aguilera's weight gain (which hardly resulted in her being overweight) was presented as something she needed to defend ("Christina Aguilera Silences Critics Of Her Curvy Physique, Loves Body".

In a world where pervasive media images fuel unrealistic expectations about how we should look – and dissatisfaction if we fail to make the grade – it is vitally important that both girls and boys be taught the media literacy skills they need to critically engage with media representations of male and female bodies. The following sections explore the role various media play in influencing our perceptions about how we look and the role that media education can play in changing these representations and perceptions…...

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